Gone
by caollaidhe
Summary: Draco wakes up the morning after Hermione leaves with Harry and Ron, only to find she wasn't quite finished with her goodbyes.


**A/N: Ive never put any of my writing on here, so please be as nice as you can manage. This is something Ive had for a while, I don't really write Draco/Hermione anymore.**

Draco woke with a start, his breath coming in quick pants.

Hermione was gone.

He didn't know this from the slight indent on the pillow where her head once laid, he didn't even know this from the empty bed. These were simply the things that confirmed her absence. He knew this because the nightmares had returned. He never had nightmares when she was with him.

Draco placed his hand on her pillow lightly , tracing it with his fingertips.

Sure, he knew she was leaving, they'd been having quarrels about it ever since he found out Hermione was going on a 'classified mission' with Wonder-Boy and the Weasel. He still hardly agreed with the situation. But now it was his reality. Today was the first day of a long and strenuous wait.

Not just the wait for her either. Now that she was gone, Draco realized there were other things he'd been waiting for. Like the war. Yeah, technically it'd already started, but he was waiting for the climactic battle. The final front. He could feel it, it was coming. Like a change in the wind or a shift in the earth. It was coming alright.

It would only be a few weeks until hundreds of witches and wizards alike would be laying down their lives for what they believe to be the right cause. Or at least what their parents believed to be the right cause. But that wasn't Draco anymore. No, he had stood up to his parents. Sure, running away didn't seem like standing up to your parents to most people by any means, but in doing just that, he had turned his back on a life he despised and finally lived the one _he_ controlled. The one _he_ wanted.

Draco swung his legs over the side of the bed, resting his head in his hands. He sighed and ran a hand through his silvery blonde hair. It was going to be a slow few weeks. Without her, time was going to drag on, each second would feel like a minute, each minute an hour.

A little, pale-purple piece of paper caught his eye then. It was folded in half so it stood up on the bed side table and it had his name printed neatly on the front.

He kind of didn't want to read it. Hadn't they already done this? Wouldn't this just cause him more pain, more longing? He did though, as he knew he would.

He opened the letter slowly and tenderly, like it would crumble in his hands of he were to be too rough.

_Dearest Draco,_

_I know our goodbyes have been said and done, but I want you to have this, I need you to. _

_It's the ring you gave me(and no, before you go off thinking I'm giving it back, that's not it, you still mean the world to me). I want you to keep it-_

Draco snorted and rolled his eyes. He spotted the little silver ring then. It was sitting on the little table where the letter had stood. The tiny, thin, vine-like, silver rope which wound itself around six times to form the little ring shone in the dim morning light. The five green topaz's which were scattered strategically throughout the vine-ring, however, seemed to glow.

Draco picked it up and held it while he read.

_-And I know you're probably sporting that infamous Malfoy scowl right now, thinking this is completely tacky and childish, but please, just for a moment, humour me. _

_I want you to keep it as a promise. My promise to you that I will come back. I don't know when, but I will return to you. So don't get too comfortable with that ring, 'cause I'll be wanting it back when I return-_

Draco knew that last part was suppose to lighten the mood of the letter somewhat, but it did little to stir the emotions swirling inside him. He thought about putting the letter down and just not reading the rest, but he seemed to lack the strength.

_-I can't tell you how much it pains me to leave you, but understand I must. If we even want a future to be together in, I need to do this. I hope when you look at this ring, you'll think of me and remember the memories we've made - good and bad. Remember us, remember what we've overcome, and remember how it's worth it. But above all, remember I'm coming back for you-_

Draco throat was growing dry and thick he tried to swallow but it was painful. Reading this all made him question everything all over again, getting him worked up; will she come back? When? What is she doing?

_-Have faith, my love, and don't ever give up. _

_Stay strong, stay safe._

_I love you, Draco._

That last line was when he broke. No "Love Hermione"'s, no "Yours truly"'s. just that single line. A line constructed of some of the most beautiful words in the world, but also the most tragic. These words could destroy empires and unite families, but right now, they brought a scared boy to tears.


End file.
